Ford reveals Mustang performance

Ford has announced final performance figures and the availability of an optional Performance Pack for its sixth-generation Mustang, which goes on sale in Australia in the second half of next year.

Ford Australia has confirmed the 2015 Mustang will be released here in 'fastback' coupe and convertible forms, both powered by a turbocharged 2.3-litre four-cylinder EcoBoost engine and a 5.0-litre V8.

Both engines will be available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddleshifters and downshift rev-matching, but North America's entry-level model – powered by a naturally aspirated 224kW/379Nm 3.7-litre V6 will not be sold here.

The top-shelf Mustang GT will produce 324kW of power and 542Nm of torque from its 5.0-litre atmo V8. Kerb weight is 1681kg in manual form, with the auto adding about 10kg and convertible versions expected to be around 60kg heavier.

That means the most powerful Mustang – for now – will deliver only slightly less performance than Ford Australia's born-again Falcon XR8 sports sedan, which should be released in December with a 335kW/570Nm supercharged 5.0-litre V8.

However, with a kerb weight up to 100kg less than the XR8, the Mustang GT should offer superior acceleration.

Meantime, the Mustang EcoBoost's 2.3-litre turbo-four will produce 231kW and 433Nm, which Ford says is the highest specific output of any Ford production engine ever.

According to Ford in the US, the Mustang EcoBoost fastback auto, which at 1598kg is only around 13kg heavier than the lightest 2014 Mustang V6, still offers "the best power-to-weight ratio of any car available in the United States for under $[US]50,000".

Surprisingly, the EcoBoost manual will be 4kg heavier than the auto at 1602kg, making the automatic coupe the lightest model in the Mustang range, which is claimed to ride on a stronger yet lighter new platform architecture.

All these performance figures should easily be eclipsed by the new Mustang SVT, which was snapped in testing earlier this week at the Nurburgring.

Although it's not yet confirmed for Australia – or anywhere else, in fact – the new Mustang flagship will replace the previous Shelby GT500, which cranks out 494kW/844Nm from a supercharged 5.8-litre V8 and accelerates to 100km/h in less than four seconds.

All new Mustangs will be the first to ride on independent rear suspension and a new double-balljoint strut front suspension that permits larger brakes and is said to deliver "world-class" handling dynamics and ride quality due to improved wheel control.

"The structure of the new Mustang is much more resistant to twisting, with 28 per cent more torsional stiffness for the fastback and a 15 per cent improvement for the convertible," said Tom Barnes, Mustang vehicle engineering manager.

Other new tech includes torque vectoring with individual wheel braking, double the number of airbags (eight), a larger cabin with upgraded MyFord Touch infotainment system and 4.2-inch colour display, HID headlights and, for the GT, launch control and an automatic burnout function Ford calls electronic line-lock.

New materials and construction methods include hydroforming, laser welding and aluminium for the bonnet, front guards, rear suspension knuckles, rear axle housing on automatic vehicles, rear control arms and rear brake callipers.

A hollow rear stabiliser bar and new seats are among other weight-saving measures and Ford says the EcoBoost fastback has best-ever weight distribution for a Mustang, with 52 per cent of its weight over the front axle, while the Mustang GT has a 53 per cent front weight bias.

The Mustang V6 and EcoBoost will come with 320mm front and rear brake discs with 43mm twin-piston floating front and 45mm single-piston rear callipers. The Mustang GT is stopped by 352mm front rotors with 46mm fixed four-piston callipers, and 330mm rear discs with 45mm single-piston rear callipers.

Although it claims the 2015 model is "already the best-handling, best-braking standard Mustang ever right out of the box", Ford also released first details of a Performance Pack for the new Mustang overnight in the US.

Available for the Mustang EcoBoost fastback or convertible and the Mustang GT fastback, both performance packs offer retuned springs, bushes and monotube rear dampers, additional engine cooling, a thicker rear sway bar, a K-brace connecting the suspension strut towers to bulkhead, unique tuning for the ABS, stability control and electric power-assisted steering, and extra centre gauges.

The 2015 Mustang EcoBoost performance package also includes the GT's standard brake package, plus a shorter 3.55:1 final drive ratio and unique 19x9.0-inch alloy wheels in Ebony Black with Pirelli 255/40R19 Y-speed rated tyres.

To this, the performance pack for the Mustang GT coupe adds wider 9.5-inch rear wheels with 275/50 R19 Pirellis, a shorter-still  3.73:1 final drive ratio, Torsen differential, strut tower brace, unique front splitter for extra brake cooling and 380mm front brake discs with 36mm six-piston fixed aluminium Brembo callipers – the same brake package as the 2014 Mustang GT500.

"The results speak for themselves," says Ford. "During track testing, the 2015 Mustang GT with performance package consistently beat the lap times of the 2012-2013 Mustang Boss 302."

The 2015 Mustang is now in production and priced from $US24,425 plus destination charges in North America, where the GT costs $US32,935 and all models will be available by October.

Ford Australia is yet to announce local pricing, but the Mustang EcoBoost is expected to open from around $40,000 here – around the same as the cheapest XR versions of Ford's Falcon, which will be discontinued at the end of 2016.

Watch this space for our first drive of the new Mustang from the global launch in late September.